Persephone and Hades: Learn About Greek Mythology and make a Pomegranate Bracelet
Join us as we craft a pomegranate themed bracelet and tell the story of Persephone and Hades.
The Kidnapping of Persephone
In the time when the Greek Gods ruled the world, there lived a young goddess named Persephone. She was the daughter of Zeus, ruler of the Gods, and Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and the harvest. The goddess was known for her kindness and beauty.
One day, gathering flowers in the meadow Persephone reached for a flower and the ground started to shake. A large hole opened up in front of her and suddenly a dark and powerful figure emerged from the pit.
It was non-other than Hades, god of the underworld. (If you want to learn more about Zeus or Hades, you can check out or Staff of the Gods Craft or our Cerberus Craft.) As soon as he saw her, he fell madly in love with Persephone. Hades decided he must have her as his queen and kidnapped her, taking her back to the underworld with him.
Demeter Misses Persephone
You can imagine this did not go unnoticed. Her mother, Demeter started looking everywhere for Persephone. For nine days and nine nights, Demeter searched for her child without success and grew angry and sad that she could not find her daughter. She was so heartbroken she stopped helping the plants and the earth became cold and lifeless.
Meanwhile in the underworld, Persephone was afraid and missed her mother very much. She longed to return to the world above. Hades tried to make Persephone feel better about being in the underworld with him and promised to make her is queen if she would stay with him.
Zeus decided this had gone on long enough and he wanted the earth to return to normal. After all with dying plants, the animals and humans he ruled over were suffering. He decided to send his son Hermes the messenger god to Hades to negotiate a solution.
The Pomegranate Trap
It turns out that while she was in the underworld, Persephone ate six pomegranate seeds! So Hades and Hermes made a deal. Hades would let her leave, but only for 6 months of the year. For the other 6 months of the year she would have to return to the underworld and live with him.
So every year, when Persephone returns to the underworld, Demeter’s sadness causes the world to become cold and barren. When Persephone returns to the world above, Demeter is happy again and the world becomes colorful and full of life.
The story of Persephone and Hades teaches us about the importance of love, family and the changing seasons.
Now let’s make a fun bracelet to honor the goddess Persephone.
After much discussion, Hades agreed to allow Persephone to leave the underworld. But, there was a catch. The Greeks believed that if someone (god or mortal) ate anything in the underworld, they could never leave. The idea of being unable to return from the underworld if you ate there occurs throughout Greek mythology. It is thought to be a way for the gods to create a boundary between the living and the dead. Very few characters in Greek mythology are able to travel from the world of living to the world of the dead.
Supplies:
Directions:
String the beads in any pattern you like! Be creative. But make sure to use at least 6 pomegranate seed beads. One bead is for each seed Persephone ate and one for each month she spends in the underworld!
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